LAPAZ — Emergency responders were able to resuscitate an overdose victim Thursday night in Lapaz.

Emergency responders were alerted to a parking lot with a driver unresponsive, with the vehicle still in drive.

A 40-year-old man, Jonathon P. Dalton, showed signs of a possible overdose, so a window on the vehicle was broken to gain access to assist the driver. 

An officer administered a dose of Narcan, which was followed by a second dose from Lapaz Fire. 

Dalton began to breathe and gained consciousness. 

He was transported to Bremen Hospital, where he was found to have suspected fentanyl hidden in his possession. 

Once released, he was transported to the Marshall County Jail.

The post Overdose victim in Marshall County revived, but faces charges appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — Living in Transition Effectively, better known as LITE, continues to expand across Kosciusko County and the region with services five years after it was established.

The Milford-based group began initially focused solely on assisting inmates as they prepared to re-enter society after being incarcerated.

Initial goals involved helping offenders overcome many of the barrers they face once released. Those can include obtaining personal documents, getting a driver's license, and securing living accommodations and transportation.

These days, about 70 percent of the people they work with are former inmates, while the rest are folks with a variety of needs, said Tammy Cotton, LITE's executive director.

In 2023, LITE became one of ten regional recovery Hubs recognized by the state. LITE also started a women’s recovery residence with five beds and opened a cafe that has created a supportive community environment for those in recovery or struggling with other issues.

LITE offers a range of services (food and clothing, to name a few), and works closely with the sheriff’s office in assisting inmates.

The group is also the biggest distributor of Naloxone (also known as Narcan). In 2024, they distributed 500 doses of Narcan through street outreach programs and a box available at their Milford headquarters.

Earlier this year, Cotton was given approval by the Health First Kosciusko Advisory Committee to begin setting up Narcan distribution boxes throughout the county.

Cotton believes overall efforts to make Narcan readily available are making a difference in reducing overdose deaths, which fell dramatically in 2024.

She recently brought up the issue with the Suicide Overdose Fatality Review Team that she helped establish last year.

"It absolutely has (helped)," Cotton said. "I asked the question to the group, which is law enforcement, the coroner, individuals who are on scene, first responders, and they attribute it completely to the access to the Narcan."

Cotton made the comment for the public affairs show, In The Know, which airs this weekend on Kensington Digital Media radio stations (see broadcast hours at the bottom of this story).

Also part of the show was Rochelle Taylor, who supervises a fleet of peer recovery coaches for LITE.

Taylor is part of a growing trend in which former drug users overcome their addiction and then become certified peer recovery coaches who work to support other substance abusers as they work to get away from the lifestyle.

Taylor doesn’t buy into the argument that people learn to rely on Narcan so they can continue to abuse opioids.

"Nobody uses so they can Narcan themselves. I can tell you that, because they lose their money, they go into withdrawal, they become sick and nobody wants to do that," Taylor said.

Taylor had been addicted to methamphetamine, was arrested several times and served several years in prison.

She's been clean for six years, and her role as a peer recovery coach has been all about turning "pain into purpose," she said.

Taylor also leads LITE's outreach program, in which she and others visit high-risk neighborhoods where drug use tends to be prevalent. They offer various types of support, including Narcan and harm reduction kits.

LITE also has an emphasis on outreach. They are often at Warsaw Community Public Library and the soup kitchen in Warsaw.

Education is also part of their mission.

That was the case on Thursday, when dozens of people participated in a "Re-Entry Similation" program at Cardinal Services and helped put into perspective the number of barriers former inmates face when they re-enter society.

Those barriers often stand in the way of former offenders as they try to find a stable, drug-free life.

The idea came from a KLA project headed up by Taylor.

Participants experienced the process of acclimating themselves after prison by visiting more than a dozen tables that represented the many issues former inmates face after being released.

Cotton explained the purpose of the meeting.

"I think the biggest thing is reducing stigma, bringing awareness, educating the community about the struggles people face," Cotton said. "Recently, I learned there are 97 barriers in the first three months for people coming out of incarceration, and that's what we're trying to portray here today."

LITE also has various transportation services, which were recently expanded.

To learn more, visit the LITE website.

[caption id="attachment_108523" align="alignnone" width="696"] More than 30 people participated in Thursday’s Re-entry Simulation program at Cardinal Services in Warsaw. The meeting was organized by LITE to help people understand the complexities that former inmates face when they re-enter society. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

*  *  * 

In The Know can be heard at the following times:

News Now Warsaw (99.7 FM and 1480 AM):

Fridays at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Saturdays at 7 a.m. 

Sundays at 7 a.m. & 2 p.m.

WRSW (107.3):

Sundays at 6 a.m.

Willie (103.5 FM):

Sundays at 6 a.m.

The post As LITE turns 5, group expands efforts to help former inmates, others appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — More Narcan will soon be available throughout Kosciusko County.

Tammy Cotton, executive director of LITE Recovery Hub, updated the County Council on many of the new services LITE has established in the past year or so and talked about the expansion of Narcan beginning as soon as Friday.

Cotton said there are currently only four locations in the county where Narcan can be obtained.

Narcan is known as Naloxone.

She said they expect to receive 18 boxes that can hold several doses.

"We're going to be, as a team, putting those up throughout the county. Our goal is to put at least one in every township throughout the county. Our staff will be monitoring and maintaining those," Cotton told council.

The outgrowth comes after approval of funding by Health First Kosciusko Count, which has greatly expanded a variety of health services in the past two years.

Narcan has been widely credited, in part, for helping reduce the number of overdose deaths in Kosciusko County in the past year.

Exact locations for the boxes of medicine have not been released, but will likely be available 24/7 and free of charge.

Also at Thursday's meeting, Council President Tony Ciriello joined the chorus of warnings from others about how Kosciusko County and other taxing units could see steep cuts as a result of state legiatlion seeking to reform property taxes.

"As it stands currently, this county stands to lose a lot of revenue," Ciriello said. "This is the reality right now that we're going to lose money — we just don't know how much yet."

Local officials will have a better understanding of what to expect when the General Assembly concludes its work On April 29, he said.

Thursday's council meeting was the first since the death of council member Mike Long who died recently of an accidental drowning.

Cirillo called for a moment of silence in honor of Long.

[caption id="attachment_106788" align="aligncenter" width="641"] Thursday’s Kosciusko County Council meeting was the first since the death of Councilman Mike Long on Feb. 27. He was remembered with a moment of silence, in the prayer before the meeting and his photo, nameplate and a candle marked his place at the council table. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.[/caption]

The post Expanded distribution of Narcan in Kosciusko County expected to begin appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — Men in Kosciusko County continue to die of overdose and suicide at an alarming rate.

That's one of the facts that surfaced in statistics recently released by Kosciusko County Coroner Tyler Huffer.

The numbers look at both suicide and overdose deaths in the county over the past two years.

Those numbers were then posted by the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Office on its Facebook page.

The numbers indicate incidents of suicide over the past year was on the rise while overdose deaths were in decline.

The number of suicides in the county rose from 11 in 2023 to 15 in 2024. Of the 15, only two were women, which is consistent with national trends in which men continue to take their own lives at a higher rate.

Two of the victims were 77 years old.

[caption id="attachment_105422" align="alignright" width="170"] Tyler Huffer[/caption]

A review of overdose deaths and suicides by Huffer looked at cases in which the individuals died in Kosciusko County and not ones where they were transported elsewhere and then died.

The release of the numbers has been applauded.

Sheriff Jim Smith said his office was encouraged.

Kurt Carlson, executive director of Health First Kosciusko, which makes recommendations on policies focused on improving health outcomes, also expressed appreciation for the transparency.

"Being willing to share the data … I think it’s quite appropriate to share that publicly,” Carlson said.

As reported recently by News Now Warsaw in December, the number of overdose deaths fell from 25 in 2023 to 9 in 2024.

The ages of the victims ranged from 60 to 21 and unlike last year, all of the overdose deaths in 2024 were men.

Huffer says each of those numbers often represents somebody’s child, parent or grandparent.

“It can all be prevented and that’s what we’re here for,” Huffer said.

“What we’re trying to do is just make it really available and be more transparent so we can get these numbers lowered.”

Both Smith and Carlson credited much of the fall in overdose deaths to Narcan, also known as Naloxone.

Narcan, also known as Naloxone, can reverse an overdose if applied quickly.

Carlson said he's a strong believer in the strategy.

"Narcan has really, dramatically reduced the number of fatalities as a result of overdose,” Carlson said.

In a statement from Smith, he pointed to a multi-faceted effort by different groups in the effort to combat the overdose epidemic fueled in part by Fentynal and opioids.

Smith said mental health groups, and community partners such as LITE and Fellowship Mission, JCAP, KCRP, the Coroner's Office, and law enforcement in general are having an impact within the community to aid these individuals.

Transparency 

[caption id="attachment_105447" align="alignright" width="300"] The sign outside of the coroner's office in Warsaw is seen Wednesday morning. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

The release of the numbers has been part of a concerted effort by Huffer who was first appointed in 2022 through a Republican caucus and then elected last year.

Soon after his appointment, he erected a sign outside of his office on Old Road 30 that tracks the number of annual overdose deaths.

The move raised a few eyebrows at first, but Huffer said the reaction has since been favorable.

"I’ve actually received lots of compliments trying to bring this awareness to the community,” Huffer said. “They’ve called my cellphone, ‘Thank you for doing this. Thank you for making this an awareness campaign for our son or daughter who overdosed.’ “ 

What next?

Huffer also established a county Suicide Overdose Fatality Review committee that looks into the history of those cases in hopes of determining gaps of service or things that could have helped prevent the deaths.

Upward of 20 people are participating and include representatives of local schools, health officials, law enforcement, hospitals, and other agencies.

The effort goes hand-in-hand with the Health First mission.

“Once Tyler got into office and saw the opportunity to use his office to sort of spearhead this, I was privileged to be asked to be part of that,” Carlson said.

Funding for the efforts came through a grant written by Tammy Cotton, executive director of LITE (Living in Transition Effectively), who also serves as coordinator for the committee.

Carlson said the year-old committee is still maturing and making progress.

Huffer said the goal is to find gaps in service.

Carlson said he's unsure if they've identified gaps yet. “I don’t know if we’re there yet, but I think we're identifying some things that maybe we should be doing better for more people.” 

One thing both agree on is the common link between suicide victims and grief.

Huffer said he believes grief is a common aspect and that he thinks some kind of intervention or support could be beneficial.

[caption id="attachment_105450" align="aligncenter" width="600"] The coroner's report also included a summary of overall work in the office for 2024.[/caption]

The post Kosciusko Coroner highlights overdose, suicide statistics appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

[caption id="attachment_103190" align="alignright" width="360"] The Kosciusko County Coroner's sign on Lake Street in Warsaw was recently updated to reflect the year-to-date number of deaths recorded in the county. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

WARSAW — The number of overdose deaths in Kosciusko County has fallen significantly over the past year.

A final 2024 tally is not yet complete, but as of last week, the number of overdose deaths recorded in the county stood at 9, according to a sign updated outside of the county coroner’s office that keeps a running total.

That’s less than half the number recorded in 2023.

[caption id="attachment_103170" align="alignright" width="360"] Kosciusko County Coroner Tyler Huffer began posting the number of overdose deaths in the county in September of 2023 when this photo was taken. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

County coroner Tyler Huffer was not immediately available, but two officials familiar with the issue talked to News Now Warsaw about the apparent trend, which is also being seen nationally.

"Nine is too many. One would be too many. Any lives lost are too many, but it's been great to see that number continue to go down, said Heidi Blake, coordinator for Kosciusko Coalition on Drug Education (K-CODE).

She and Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith both credit the reduction in deaths to the increased use of Narcan (generic name is Naloxone), which is used to reverse the effects if applied promptly when somebody overdoses.

Blake said she carries Narcan with her in case she runs into a situation where it could be used.

"Unfortunately, some people still believe it's enabling individuals or that individuals should not have access to Narcan for free, but again, we know it's saving lives in our community," Blake said.

Smith also acknowledged the role Naracan is having in the community and said drugs like fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine remain available in the area.

Both Blake and Smith said they believe an array of community programs are also having a role in reducing the number of deaths.

"These folks that have decided to change their ways, I'm confident in telling you all they have to do is say the words and there'd be somebody there to help," Smith said.

Narcan can be purchased in local pharmacies but is also available in several other locations such as Bowen Health.

You can learn more about Nalaxon at this website, which includes a map that pinpoints locations where the overdose-reversing drug can be found.

According to the Indiana Overdose Dashboard, the number of overdose deaths in Kosciusko County has been above 20 since 2021.

More than 100,000 people have been dying annually from drug overdoses, and 75% of those deaths involve opioids (including highly potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl, often in combination with other drugs like stimulants), according to the National Institutes of Health.

Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl flooded the illicit market and became the leading cause of overdose deaths beginning in 2016, the NIH website said.

The post Overdose deaths in Kosciusko County cut significantly in 2024 appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

INDIANAPOLIS — Several Indiana businesses have started carrying Narcan to combat the harmful effects of drug overdoses, and state leaders are encouraging more companies to follow suit.

On Thursday, the Wellness Council of Indiana and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce emphasized that the state is adopting a unique approach to tackle the drug epidemic.

A survey by the Wellness Council of Indiana involved hundreds of Hoosier employers. The report followed a previous study carried out a few years back. Shockingly, the rate of employee absenteeism due to drug abuse has increased tremendously. Over 50% of the respondents stated that drugs affected employee productivity. Almost 90% of employers acknowledge drug abuse is a significant community concern. Many employers are implementing measures to help employees struggling with substance abuse.

"And this is a significant increase from the last survey," said Jennifer Pferrer, Executive Director-Wellness Council of Indiana. "There are so many resources available that we want employers to understand that this isn't something that's just on them; this is something that the community and the state have resources to support."

According to Pfeffer, employers must provide resources for substance abuse treatment through Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). The survey revealed that over 80 percent of employers offer EAP assistance, but only a small percentage of employees utilize these services.

Douglas Huntsinger, the Executive Director for Drug Prevention, Treatment, and Enforcement and the Chairman of the Indiana Commission to Combat Substance, said there had been an encouraging trend of employers assisting employees struggling with drug addiction.

"This mirrors the priority laid out by Governor Holcomb, and the legislature laid out to protect our most vulnerable Hoosiers," he said. "It reflects the shift in the public attitude toward mental health and addiction, which will help Indiana turn the tides. We know that when we equip our employers with the tools to support individuals in the workplace, we will get better outcomes."

Pferrer notes that Indiana is receiving recognition on a national level for its efforts in combating addiction. She emphasizes the need for the state to continue using data, including the survey, to guide future decisions. Indiana's overdose death rate declined by over 20 percent in 2021.

"Preliminary data for 2022 shows that that trend is continuing, and so that's really attributed to the awareness in Indiana that addiction is a problem and specifically that fentanyl is a driving force in overdoses and overdose deaths," added Huntsinger.

The post Some companies now stocking Narcan for employees appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW -- The city of Warsaw is looking at three new ways to boost its CARES program, which has taken on an expanded role in fighting the opioid epidemic.

CARES was started less than two years ago to provide mental health services and other support for people encountered by Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory responders who are upset or feeling traumatized for various reasons.

It was initiated by Mayor Joe Thallemer who saw the success it was having in central Indiana and saw the potential for its use in Warsaw.

Since then, the effort has placed more emphasis on the drug epidemic and is now responsible for distributing hundreds of doses of Narcan per year to emergency responders who can use it on people in the throes of an overdose.

On Friday, the city Board of Works approved plans to apply for $137,500 in matching grant money from the state’s opioid settlement fund that will be used to expand CARES, which stands for Community Assistance, Resources and Emergency Services.

EMS Chief Chris Fancil said the additional money will allow the program to expand its reach in the community and "really start pivoting to the substance abuse area."

"We thought this grant was a great way to make that work a little more seamlessly by pursuing this money,” he said.

Mayor Joe Thallemer strongly supports the growing initiative.

“We quickly learned that you can’t really separate the mental health issues from the addiction issues,” Thallemer said. “And as the opioid settlements come down, it gives us a great opportunity to expand the services that we want to try to provide with CARES.”

"I'm thrilled at how important CARES has become," he said. "There's a ton of work to do."

Fancil told the board they are also seeking to use grant money from the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program to hire an additional person to work in the CARES program.

On top of that, the city plans to establish a website to promote available resources.

Fancil presented a contract with 1Eighty Digital to begin the design and execution of the CARES resource website and phone app.

The Kosciusko County Community Foundation awarded a $7,500 grant toward the website and app.

The total cost is expected to be about $7,800.

Fancil presented a contract with 1Eighty Digital to create the CARES resource website as well as a phone app.

The request was approved.

The post Fire Territory seeks to add staff to CARES program, establish website appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW -- An online tool made available through the Indiana Department of Health is shedding light on how often Narcan is being used to fight the opioid epidemic.

Narcan, also known as Naloxone, is the drug used to resuscitate people in the midst of an opioid overdose, which often involves fentanyl.

The state health department’s online heat map can be filtered to look at specific time ranges and can zoom in and show where Narcan was used at a neighborhood level.

An up-close look at Warsaw shows numerous hot spots.

The map is not perfect. Locations are not exact.

The state estimates that about 15 percent of instances where Narcan is used are not recorded because of insufficient or missing information.

The map also does not always show where the overdose occurred. For instance, hospitals often use the medicine after a user has arrived from another location.

Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory serves as a distribution hub for Narcan to emergency responders in Kosciusko County.

Chris Fancil, the EMS chief for the fire territory, says the map is an eye-opener.

"It tells us we have a huge problem and that we need to find ways to do better," Fancil said. "We have a lot of work to do."

Last year, the fire territory distributed nearly 300 doses throughout parts of the county.

In 2020, the fire territory alone used Narcan 25 times. That climbed to 35 in 2021 and 40 in 2022.

Fancil was asked where the battle against opioids is headed.

"I think it's getting worse. We're just trying to bring as many resources to bear as we possibly can. Some of that is public education, some of it's more Narcan out in the community, some of it's trying to limit the number of opiates being prescribed," Fancil said.

"I think we're all doing what we can to mitigate this, but it's going to take some time."

Kosciusko County saw a record number of overdose deaths in 2022.

According to the county coroner's office, 18 people died in the county from overdoses last year. Another 12 or 13 from the county died after being taken to a hospital outside of the county.

The fire territory is currently seeking 300 more doses from the state health department.

The medicine is provided free of charge to local entities.

The post State’s ‘heat map’ shows hot spots for Narcan use appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

It's the first of what will eventually be 19 Narcan vending machines throughout the state as part of an initiative from Gov. Eric Holcomb to make the drug more readily available in the event someone comes across someone else overdosing on opioids.

It's an effort that Hoosiers like Tammy Stucker appreciate since her son was the victim of an overdose and was saved by a dose of Narcan.

"I find it very sad that we have that need (for Narcan). It's the world we live in today," she told WISH-TV. "He (her son) is doing well today. Clean, sober, and progressing with life. I'm thankful that he had that opportunity to have that administered to him."

The vending machine at the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library is simple. You punch in a code that is displayed on the machine and you get a dose of Narcan free of charge. The machine can hold as many as 300 doses of Narcan.

The machine is only available while the library is open, but for anyone who needs Narcan after hours, there is a lockbox, called a Naloxbox, outside the library with doses of Narcan inside.

The post Narcan vending machine opens at Kokomo library appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

Kosciusko County Coroner Tony Ciriello said he’s aware of 28 deaths this year – far surpassing the previous high of 17 set a few years ago.

The update came as Ciriello was making a request for $50,000 to help cover the cost of autopsies, many of which involve overdoses.

He said they've seen a significant uptick in calls for service since August, he said.

Investigators are finding many of the overdoses involve a mix of drugs with fentanyl appearing in many of the cases.

He said he thinks Narcan, the drug used to quickly resuscitate overdose victims, has become a factor. Too many people are using that as a fallback in case something happens. 

"I think a lot of people feel safe doing that, but if there is nobody there to administer it, it doesn't work."

The post Kosciusko County Sees Record Number of Overdose Deaths appeared first on News Now Warsaw.